Originally Posted by
Fabchef
Update...
i picked up some new pads at a local canadian tyre. They seemed softer than what was on there but not super soft. I installed them and passed some sandpaper on the surface, the bike stops well, not with a crazy "bite" to them though, but better than what was there. The old ones had a weird effect to them, they would kind of pulsate when braking. The new ones are smooth and with both front and back brakes applied, she stops well.
the continental tires seem to ride well, i did like the look of the older tires (brown sidewalls) but the conti's look good too.
i'm still getting used to the gear shifting system on the bike but it rides smoothly on paved roads.
I installed new foam grips, and while they are better than the old ones, i find my hand kinda going numb after a while riding. Is this normal? Should i put rubber grips instead?
fab
Different grips, different hand positions, changing hand positions, letting your arm hang loose to the side for 10 seconds at various intervals. All of these can help with hand numbness. It is in general not something that you can buy though, one grip might be perfect for me that same grip you might think sucks. So, trial and error. Same with saddles.
While it is true that riding a bike is so easy a kid can do it as adults it will take time and effort and even a bit of discomfort to find what works for you. Between the years 1993 and 2018, I rode zero bicycle miles, in 2020, I rode 6200 miles. It really comes down to just how bad you want to rack up the miles (for fun and fitness) and how much pain you and discomfort you are willing to endure. Some of the muscles you use to hold your position on the bike need to get conditioned and to a certain extent your hands are taking up the slack. Some discomfort will go away on their own as fitness levels increase.